Speechless after Test Drive
Cap'n Insane the Engorged
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Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Where Mountains Meet the Sea
The guy was an ***.
Being a sales person I've been on a few test drives and these aren't my personal cars. I've asked one person to pull over, pulled the keys and announced that the test drive was over. Probably what you should've done, but I understand being in shock.
Most people are quite the opposite - I have to ask them to get on it and push the car. You don't get that sh*t eating grin w/out pushing it, but that's far from abuse.
Sorry you had such a bad experience.
Being a sales person I've been on a few test drives and these aren't my personal cars. I've asked one person to pull over, pulled the keys and announced that the test drive was over. Probably what you should've done, but I understand being in shock.
Most people are quite the opposite - I have to ask them to get on it and push the car. You don't get that sh*t eating grin w/out pushing it, but that's far from abuse.
Sorry you had such a bad experience.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 881
Likes: 18
From: MD
I've had a few people test drive my car this past summer. Nobody drove like you described, but a couple were spirited. I was white knuckled with all of them. I kept thinking, they need to see what it will do under stress, but it's still my car!
If someone bashed the bumper into a curb I'd shove their face into the damage so they could see up close what they'd be paying to fix. Either that or go by the axiom you break it, you bought it.
If someone bashed the bumper into a curb I'd shove their face into the damage so they could see up close what they'd be paying to fix. Either that or go by the axiom you break it, you bought it.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 166
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From: Minneapolis, MN
I appreciate everyone's .02. I will gather an estimate for the part as well as the paint/install, but my guess is that I will have to eat this one. With some re-finish and touch up paint and a re-install it should be fine...but I will have that feeling of "I know where it is even though no one else knows it is there" and now my girlfriend will,once again, think I am crazy because "it looks fine and no one will notice it"...BUT I DO!
Ah, the joys of owning a P-car
I will send the estimate tomorrow and see what kind of response I get, my guess is it will be a good one.
Ah, the joys of owning a P-car
I will send the estimate tomorrow and see what kind of response I get, my guess is it will be a good one.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 487
Likes: 4
From: Mission Viejo, CA
Man, I am really sorry to hear about that. I'd say you had a LOT more patience with the guy than I would have. I would have told him in no uncertain terms to back off, and I would've done it within seconds of realizing what he was attempting to do. There is no need to abuse someone's car like that. It's just wrong on so many levels.
Also, is he a Rennlister or Pelican? If so, he should be outed.
Also, is he a Rennlister or Pelican? If so, he should be outed.
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From: Northern New Jersey
Hey, you said his car is for sale? Maybe we need to send someone to ..uh... "test drive" it!
I give you allot of credit, I would have went totally ape$h*t on the guy!
I give you allot of credit, I would have went totally ape$h*t on the guy!
Race Car
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,978
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From: San Antonio, TX
Wow, is all I have to say.
If you see him the future, tell him you want to drive his car and do this. Take it up to redline in 3rd and put it back into 2nd gear and quickly let the clutch back out, his exhaust valves will be bent in a millisecond...........(see my sig)
The thing is, it really works and he wont do that again to your car........of course his will not run
just kidding
If you see him the future, tell him you want to drive his car and do this. Take it up to redline in 3rd and put it back into 2nd gear and quickly let the clutch back out, his exhaust valves will be bent in a millisecond...........(see my sig)
The thing is, it really works and he wont do that again to your car........of course his will not run
just kidding
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,675
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From: Stillwater, MN
Wow, what a story! When I test drive I am SO careful. I can see how you got caught off guard. When someone is such a jerk my first reaction is disbelief and only later do I think of a better course of action. Kind of a shell-shocked reaction, I guess.
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Instructor
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 166
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From: Minneapolis, MN
What was his reaction when he hit the curb?
Did he seem interested in buying your car or was he just taking it for a joy ride?
I'd be pissed as well, and I drive my car hard when the time is right.
In my mind there is a big difference between driving a car "hard" and abusing it.
If this guy was just slamming through the gears (and curbs) is seems that he either lacks the ability to drive or at a minimum lacks basic human decency buy showing such a lack of respect for your property.
Of course it's hard to say how hard he was actually being or your car.
I'm sure if a pro driver took me out for a ride in my car I might feel be a bit (lot) shocked at how much farther he could push it than I could.
If I take a car out for a test drive, I first make sure that I'm serious about buying, not joy riding, not time wasting. That being said I would carefully, w/ the owners consent, test the reasonable limits of the car to make sure all seems to be in proper working order.
The last car we sold privately was my wife's Acura Legend with a manual transmission. On the first test drive a potential buyer assured me he knew how to drive a stick. By the end of the first block of the drive he had made it perfectly clear that he didn't, and I made it clear that the test was finished.
Regards,
Aron
Did he seem interested in buying your car or was he just taking it for a joy ride?
I'd be pissed as well, and I drive my car hard when the time is right.
In my mind there is a big difference between driving a car "hard" and abusing it.
If this guy was just slamming through the gears (and curbs) is seems that he either lacks the ability to drive or at a minimum lacks basic human decency buy showing such a lack of respect for your property.
Of course it's hard to say how hard he was actually being or your car.
I'm sure if a pro driver took me out for a ride in my car I might feel be a bit (lot) shocked at how much farther he could push it than I could.
If I take a car out for a test drive, I first make sure that I'm serious about buying, not joy riding, not time wasting. That being said I would carefully, w/ the owners consent, test the reasonable limits of the car to make sure all seems to be in proper working order.
The last car we sold privately was my wife's Acura Legend with a manual transmission. On the first test drive a potential buyer assured me he knew how to drive a stick. By the end of the first block of the drive he had made it perfectly clear that he didn't, and I made it clear that the test was finished.
Regards,
Aron
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 166
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From: Minneapolis, MN
Yeah...can you believe this Jon? I am still in trauma over it! Thanks for the email links BTW.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 879
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From: Bend, OR
I cringe when I'm riding with other people in their own car, and they don't rev-match when downshifting - can't imagine some jack-*** doing that to my baby. He probably thinks he's a good driver, too.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 762
Likes: 140
From: Houston, Texas
That is a horrible story -- Im not sure I would not be able to restrain myself from punching that jerk.
However, to make you feel a least a little better... its not just potential buyers you need to worry about.
The other night I let a VERY close friend drive my car because I had just installed the B&M SSK and wanted him to try it out. He also owns an expensive sports car so I assumed the best... he drove very conservatively until the HW, then when he blipped to downshift - he'd blip to like 6, downshift and drop the clutch going WOT almost instantly. Over and over. When we got out of the car he said "hmmmmm, whats that smell??". LOL.
I laughed about it - wanting him to have fun. But being in the passenger seat while your car gets abused is like seeing your girl get manhandled by some other guy right in front of you.
However, to make you feel a least a little better... its not just potential buyers you need to worry about.
The other night I let a VERY close friend drive my car because I had just installed the B&M SSK and wanted him to try it out. He also owns an expensive sports car so I assumed the best... he drove very conservatively until the HW, then when he blipped to downshift - he'd blip to like 6, downshift and drop the clutch going WOT almost instantly. Over and over. When we got out of the car he said "hmmmmm, whats that smell??". LOL.
I laughed about it - wanting him to have fun. But being in the passenger seat while your car gets abused is like seeing your girl get manhandled by some other guy right in front of you.
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,219
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From: Toronto
Best thing to do when selling your car, is to drive the car first with the potential customer as your passenger. Use that time to orient them to what the car is all about and set the parameters of how you expect them to drive by demonstrating it yourself. Always ask a few times if they are comfortable driving a 6-speed and if they've ever driven a 996 before and what, if any were their previous impressions of the car. If the customer balks at not letting him drive first, wants to go alone or with a buddy (NEVER!) or at not "trusting" him, then they're usually not serious buyers and just want to go for joyrides. It's not their car until money and tittle change hands so they have absolutely no rights to the vehicle. This is what we teach the dealers we train and they get much safer and satisfactory demo drives out of using these techniques.
